To Love And Let Die
by Crazygal66
Summary: A mass murderer is on the loose, and the village's best ninja are dying each and every week! Can Naruto, with the combined efforts of Hinata and Kiba, find the culprit before it's too late? Discontinued
1. Prolgue: To Death Do You Part

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Before you start to read this prologue, I just have some credit to share. This story, up to this point at least, is a combined effort of myself and Kibby666. This story would not have been created without her help, so thank you very much, Kibs! ^^

* * *

A spidery hand slipped behind her neck lifting her from a drink-induced slumber. A breathless whisper escaped his cracked lips: "Death to pigs…-they all must die."

The pink-haired kunoichi's eyes fluttered open. A surprised gasp escaped her own lips, as she caught sight of the man before her. "W-why would y-"" All it took was one gentle squeeze, and the girl's breath would no longer come. The bones of her neck snapped under his fingers, her death resting on his hands: contentment was all that he was left with.

It wasn't just a one night thing, no...-these nightly attacks happened frequently. Out of five, this would be the easiest one yet. The little village was quickly coming to the conclusion: they had a serial killer in their midst.

With every death, the village was becoming weaker and weaker. An attack could–and would be-launched against them at any moment, and with more ninja disappearing every week, winning would be close to impossible. They needed a solution…-and boy, did they need one fast.

He escaped through the window, evil grin playing on his lips. It wasn't as if he liked to reap havoc upon the unfortunate lives that crossed paths with him. It was more of an addiction, a very organized addiction. First was the girl from the Sand, The one that carries with her that fan. Both she and that fan were similar; no action, and a lot of wind. Her luscious screech played through his mind like a sorrowful song.

Shino Aburame was his next kill, and surely, the most persistent. No matter how much pain he had put him in, a smile forced its way onto his victim's face. He had taken it to be a sign of mockery, but who knows; maybe it had a hint of something else. In the end, of course, Shino had been killed-the life leaving his face. But still, the smile remained. True, they had been friends…-but he was only in the way. And through one simple action, the fragile bonds woven between them were destroyed, and sent into oblivion.

Thirdly, his mentor; his sensei, who had believed in him, trusted him, and loved him as her own.

"Were you proud then sensei? Were you proud when your blood spilt into my hands? When I laid you to eternal rest? Were you proud?" He shook his head, walking along the streets, rested abandoned under moonlight's cover. "Of course you weren't, just like the rest of them."

Before that night, his more recent kill was Choji; sweet, innocent Choji. This one wasn't exactly planned, but he really didn't have a choice in the matter. When blood is splattered across your arms, and a corpse is in your arms, it makes it a little bit too obvious you're a murder. He had taken two lives that day. Sure it had messed up his schedule, but it would return to normal in due time.  
Sakura Haruno, one of the villages most popular kunoichi: loved by most, hated by others. Word would be out tomorrow that the NightCrawler-as aptly named he was-had struck again. It wouldn't be as easy anymore, and he knew that…-which would take us to his soon-to-be victim. The sixth and probably the sweetest kill of his life:

Hinata Hyuuga.

* * *

_Author's Note_

**Crazygal66: **And that's the end! For now….  
**Choji: ***still in shock* You…-you killed me?**  
Crazygal:** I'm sorry! It just works with the story…**  
Naruto: **When I find out who this killer is, I'm going to-*keeps on rambling***  
Hinata: ***shyly poking her fingers together* M-maybe they know who the NightCrawler is…  
**Naruto: ***looks up at the reader* Hey, you might be on to something Hinata!**  
Crazygal: ***sweat drop* I sort of know s-  
**Naruto: ***places a finger to his lips* Shh! I want to hear what the readers have to say!**  
Crazygal: ***sighs* Keep reading… (And please, critism/compliments are dearly appreciated!)

_Disclaimer: I do *not* own any characters included in this story, Masashi Kishimoto holds that grand honour._


	2. Ch 1: I Thought You Loved Me

"Sakura is dead? How can this be? Even I can't believe it! Baa-chan, we have to do something before all of our nin are wiped out!"

The village's current Hokage observed the village before her; a great ache pounding in her chest. The most recent death had to be one of the most painful she's had to experience; next to the one's of her dear younger brother and beloved, of course. Sakura was, to her, the daughter she never had-her most promising pupil. But now, she was gone.

"Yes, Naruto, I know. The most obvious plan of action would be to send out a squad to investigate. But who? We need as many shinobi here as possible to defend the village!"

"Team eight is still recovering from losing Shino, but I think they can manage. Send me with them! I can do it!"

"I respect your optimism." The Hokage gave a muted sigh, "But, we need you here."

"But-"

"No buts, Naruto! I will send Team Gai to do the mission!"

A frown found its way onto the young, blonde's face. No matter how much he did for the village, no matter how many missions went right, the outcome was always the same. Sighing, Naruto looked into the eyes of the older woman.

"Fine, they can do the mission!" Fleeing the building, a smug grin finally found its way onto the blonde's face. He chuckled to himself, sorting though this plan.

"I told her Team Gai could do the mission, but I never said they wouldn't need some help!" With that thought racing through his mind, he raced farther into the village.

* * *

"Hinata Hyuuga, get down here! You're late for your mission!"  
"But I-" Hinata yawned, pulling herself from her bed with much required effort. "I don't have a mission today, Dad..."

"That's not what your…" He paused to suppress both uttering "ugh~" and shiver with disgust. "That isn't what your boyfriend says."

The young Hyuuga's eyes lit up at the mention of her boyfriend, and long-time crush, Naruto Uzumaki. She quickly tossed on her attire for the day, and raced down the stairs. But, the horrible feeling that something bad was to happen could not escape her; even as Hinata attempted to toss it aside as a simply case of the nerves. A few seconds later, she was out the door-greeting the young Uzumaki.

With her father's icy glare watching the two depart, she had to force back a shudder. He added one final note before the two were too far away; "Dunn get her pregnant!"

Hinata had always wondered why her father wasn't fond of her boyfriend-and even if he was-why did he have to make it so obvious?! She nodded, bowing to her father before darting off, hand in hand with the blond.

A dorky grin spread across his face, but it quickly disintegrated when Hinata pulled him to a complete stop outside the Hyuuga estate. She looked him over with dull lavender eyes" "We don't HAVE a mission today…"

Under the Hyuuga's watchful gaze, Naruto tensed momentarily, but soon he had laughed it off. "It's not a big deal!" He explained in a matter-of-fact kind of voice, "Granny and I were talking about a mission, and we're doing it for her! She just doesn't know we are…" Well, that was typical Naruto for you.

Hinata sighed, not exactly comfortable with his plan. "Naruto, it's not right! We should j-"

"Come on, Hinata!" Not really caring that she had more to say, "It'll be fun! And well, I can't do it without you!"

With a muted sigh, the young girl softly shook her head; "I'm not sure..."  
"Please..?"

"Fine," She sighed, fidgeting with her hands in discomfort. "But on one condition."

That made the boy's face light up. With a grin, the boy replied. "Alright! You name it and it's done! As long a-"

"We take Kiba with us."

Naruto's smile faltered, his lips curled down. The previous color in his face had disappeared, and the gleam was no longer in his large, child-ish eyes. "Kiba? Are you sure? If you really wanted to get someone to tag along we could choose someone like Shika-"

"No." Her voice was strong; full of confidence-one of the many traits she had gained over the years. "No." She repeated, "It has to be Kiba."

It was as if with every word a weight was being placed on the boys shoulders. "Bu-But why HIM!?"

"Because he's my friend..." Hinata winced, her wall of confidence slowly crumbling. It had felt as though she had said the wrong thing. Naruto drew back, "I…-I guess I just wanted some alone time though."

"I understand…" She began to relax a bit, her face softening. The glee was returning to Naruto's face. "But, I really do think it'd be easier if the three of us worked together…" His shoulders drooped once again; his back hunched. He wouldn't have minded so much if it was someone else, but Kiba… He saw the way he looked at Hinata. He saw the way he looked at him-and quite frankly, Naruto didn't like it one bit.

"You have a point, but-" He continued, pushing to see how much leash Hinata would give him, "Kiba has changed. He's….-he scares me a bit."

Forcing a smile, the girl waved her hand as if to dismiss the thought. "Come on, Naruto! Kiba?! Scary?!" His face stood firm, and the Hyuuga averted her gaze to the ground below them. "Okay, so maybe you have a point…" Hinata looked up at him, eyes pleading. "But maybe this is what he needs! Some time with old friends!"

"We NEVER were friends. Rivals, maybe-but never friends." Naruto grumbled. "He just doesn't want me with you. That's all."

Hinata shook her head, a trace of fear visible on her face. "No!" Her thoughts screeched to her, trying to get the simple fact out of her head. "No!! It can't be true!" Kiba didn't like her-he COULDN'T like her. After all, all the Hyuuga wanted was an easy life-this would complicate things.

"Please. Naru-chan…-I'll make it up to you somehow. You just have to say yes..."

"Mmm, anything I ask?"

Hinata sighed, nodded her head slowly. "Yes, anything." For some reason, she felt like she had just sold her soul to the devil.

"Fine."

* * *

"She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me-" Sitting in the shade of an old oak tree was a young boy. He face was sheltered by a hood, which could be used as an effective way to hide his emotions. A clawed hand was out, gently patting the fur of a small dog next to him. And, in his other hand, was a daisy; it's petals as brilliant as the sun. He was slowly taking grasp of each one, tugging it from the center.

"She loves me not..." He grumbled, removing the final petal. Throwing it to the ground in silent frustration, the boy looked up at the sky. "What have I done!?" He yelled towards the heavens, seeming as if he were expecting some sort of response. "What have I done to deserve this living hell on Earth?!" He listened to the cold wind blow through his place of solitude.

"That's what I thought." He spoke aloud, this time turning his gaze to the canine next to him. "No one cares about me anymore, boy. Only you…" Curling up next to him, a possible attempt at comfort, the dog whimpered softly. He attempted to smile; an attempt that horribly failed. "At least we have each other..." He turned his face back towards the sky; his eyes clouded over with sadness-as if he had no place in this world. That's when he heard her.

"Kiba? Kiba?!"  
His ears twitched, and he leapt to his feet. A smile curled onto his lips. "Hinata? Hinata!? I'm over here!" Arms extended, he attempted to wave the girl over. When she came into sight, the young boy felt as though his heart had done a back flip. Her dark hair was swaying in the mild wind; pale eyes fixated on him and only him. She had come back for him. Maybe she loved him after all!

"Hinata? Did you find him?!"

At the sound the sound of that all-too-familiar voice, a low growl formed in his throat. Hands immediately clenched to fists as the blond came into view-staring him down. With a voice filled with anger, he snarled the boy's name.

"Naruto…."

* * *

_Author's Note_

**Crazygal66: **And that 'tis the first official chapter! ^-^**  
Naruto: ***frowns* I don't like Kiba very much right now…  
**Kiba: ***frowns* Well, I'm not too fond of you either, Naruto!  
**Hinata: ***sighs* Please stop you to!  
**Naruto/Kiba: ***head bowed* Gomensai…  
**Naruto:** What's going to happen in the next chapter!?  
**Kiba:** I guess you should look out for the start of a fight...**  
Hinata:** And our quest to find the killer begins~  
**Crazygal: ***smiles* That pretty much sums it up, so please, keep reading! (And, R&R please!)

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters who are included in this story-instead they belong to the great and wonderful Masashi Kishimoto. Thank you~!_


	3. Ch 2: I Challenge You!

With dull, cautious eyes, Hinata regarded the boy with curiosity. "Kiba-kun? I-Is something bothering you?" With slender fingers, the Hyuuga interlaced their hands.  
With a forceful jerk, Kiba snatched back his hand, and tore his gaze from the girl. Why did she have to do this to him; EVERY time the two of them were together? The way she cared for everyone and everything, the slight hesitation in her voice when she worried; the way her innocence shone through everything she did-it was all too much to bare. If only-

"I told you it was a bad idea~!" Naruto urgently whispered, inching away from the scene. "Let's go!" But, Hinata stood her ground. Kiba had a voice of his own, and, until she heard it, no one would be leaving the clearing.  
Kiba reluctantly turned to face the Hyuuga- breath held, teeth clenched. "I'm fine." He finally managed to retort, "Everything's…-peachy." Ignoring the blond's presence, Kiba kept his unwavering eyes locked on Hinata. "Why are you here?"

Wincing slightly, her sight averted to the ground. "We're going on a mission. A-and, we wanted to you to come…" For some reason, the grass seemed UNUSUALLY interesting at the moment…

With a finger curled over his lips, Kiba began to ponder. Well, he pretended to at least. "Well, I don't know… Now-a-days I have a pretty busy schedule." It was a lie; Hinata could tell that much in an instance. None the less, she began to play along.

"We're searching for the NightCrawler. But, if you don't have the time to help out, I suppose we could always recruit someone else…" At this point she let out a sigh-an over exaggerated one at that.

Grasping his girlfriend by the hand, Naruto began to drag her off. "Too bad! So sad! Looks li-"  
Kiba chuckled softly, holding out a hand. "-Not so fast. I'd be honoured to help out on this little mission." Bowing slightly, he locked eyes with the Uzumaki-a smug grin playing on his lips. This was an opportunity-not one that Kiba was willing to pass up.  
Hinata's lips turned upwards into a smile, as she pulled Naruto back. "I guess we should start-before someone else gets hurt~" Hinata advanced a few paces towards the village, unable to hide her relief. About time Kiba got out of solitude.  
At this point, both boys were walked side-by-side, in the midst of conversation.

"-I'm not here because of you. I'm here because Hinata wanted me-" Kiba glowered at the slightly shorter boy.

"-Well, good! Because if I had my say, you wouldn't even be here!" Naruto countered, returning the other boy's glare.

Turning back to the two, the Hyuuga let out a muted sigh. So it began-already. Couldn't they go two feet without bickering? "Uh, guys? We should g-"  
"Coming!" With one final glance at the other, the two raced forwards towards the village-and the girl. Hinata sighed. This was going to be a long day…-an EXTREMELY long day.

* * *

"A-ha!!" The blond's voice sliced through the fresh, spring air like a blade meeting no resistance.

"What?!" Hinata shouted, following the voice of the Uzumaki, eyes sparkling with hope. She soon found him standing outside the "doors" to his favourite restaurant. "You found a clue?!"

Laughing with slight embarrassment, Naruto turned to face the Hyuuga-face tinted red. "No…-but Ichiraku's having a sale! Come on!" Taking hold of the ivory curtain, the boy gave it a small tug-giving himself a chance to enter. But even before he could even place a foot inside, a hand roughly took hold of his shoulder and tore him away from the delectable scents. Turns out that hand belonged to Kiba-quel shock! Desperate for freedom, Naruto fought against his captor's grasp, but failed to escape.

"B-but it's sixty percent off~!" He whimpered the tears imaginable on his now childish face.

Sighing deeply, Kiba dropped the boy off between himself and Hinata-now narrowing his chances to run. "We can't, baka! We're on a mission! And to think, you're the one who started all this..."  
Giving up on the Inuzuka, Naruto turned his gaze to the slender female, eyes pleading. "Come on, Hinata! I know you of all people would unders-"  
Turning her face away from the blond, she softly shook her head. "We…-we can't. While we're gorging on that, another innocent could be killed! I-I can't let that happen. Not again…" Her pale eyes clouded over, the memories of her former team mate taking over her mind.

Even though he could be quite idiotic at times, Naruto was not emotionless. "Fine….-but we'll go there later!" With that, he turned on his heels and spun away from the ramen restaurant. _I will be back for you my beautiful ramen!!_

"Naruto walking AWAY from Ichiraku's? Now that's a sight I thought I'd never see…" A monotone voice teased; a young boy joining the trio. A mocking grin pulled at the guy's chapped lips, his obsidian eyes staring down at the shorter teenagers.

"Very funny, pineapple boy." Rolling his eyes, Naruto's voice was heavily laced with sarcasm. "Not that that I had much of a choice, baka..."

Anxiously poking her fingers together, Hinata looked up at the Nara, eyes gleaming with unanswered questions. "S-Shikamaru? You have a library in your house, right?"

With a curt nod, he looked towards the Hyuuga, confused.

"I-I'm looking for some information-mind if we come over??" Looking over her two male companions, a scowl formed on the elder boy's face. "It'll be awfully troublesome…-but, I may be able to help you." Sighing deeply, he turned on his heels, taking his leave towards the Nara estate.

Exchanging glances, the trio raced after him, hopes racing through their minds.

* * *

Like a true gentleman, Shikamaru swung the door open to simply drop it in the face of his visitors. Catching the block of wood with the palm of his hand, Kiba thrust it open for his fellow companions, sighing in slight annoyance.

"Well, we're here…" He muttered gesturing to a room filled with open windows and a variety of shelves; a vast amount of books on each.

Inching into the room- their eyes wide, mouths gaping in awe-the trio in took the scene before them. Though, they were quickly stopped by an extended hand of their host.

"Information isn't cheap. This trip is going to cost you…" A teasing grin played on the Nara's lips. Taking a seat before a familiar board, he beckoned his guests forward. "So…-which one of you is brave enough to be my challenger?"

As though the question had been left unheard, Naruto made his way over to the boy, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table. "You know, this place looks STRANGELY familiar…."

Kiba glared furiously at the Uzumaki, whispering harshly. "Dobe!! There's no way you can beat h-"

"I got it!" With a snap of his fingers, the memories came flooding back to our persistent hero. "It's from that one show I used to watch!! Yu-Gi-Oh!"

With a wave of his hand, Shikamaru revealed a set of figurines, both black and white. "Talk is cheap. It's time to play." With an intimidating look gleaming in his eyes, he pointed a finger towards the poor soul. "Yu-Gi-Oh you say? Well, how about we make this relate to it."

"Naruto Uzumaki, I challenge you to a Shoji Game."

* * *

_Author's Note_

**Crazygal: **And that 'tis the end! Sorry it took so long….-life's been so busy! *sweat drop***  
Naruto: **Well? What do you think? Pretty daring, aren't I?? *beaming***  
Kiba: ***coughs* More like idiotic. *coughs*  
**Naruto: **XP I heard that dog boy!**  
Kiba/Naruto: ***bickering***  
Shikamaru: ***sighs* Well, I guess that's a wrap… Stay tuned in for chapter three. *yawns* Whatever it ends up being called…

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters mentioned in this fanfiction…-Masashi Kishimoto holds that grand honour… And thank you to Yu-Gi-Oh for the inspiration for the ending~ ^w^_


	4. Ch 3: Ni Fu?

A smug smile soon crept onto the Uzumaki's face, his sapphire eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I accept!" At those words, his companion's spirits were crushed by the cruel hand called arrogance. "So, what is Shogi?"

A harsh laugh escaped the Nara's chapped lips; the outcome foreseen from the very moment that the challenge had been set. His pale hand extended towards the board lying between the two, in which he snatched up one of the many hexagonal-shaped pieces. He held it with his index and middle fingers, gently brushing its gleaming surface. "It's a game of strategy."

The younger boy's eyebrows furrowed slightly in slight confusion, obviously unaware that such a thing existed at the moment. "Really? So it's not strength? Or j-"

"-No, strategy." Shikamaru repeated once again, words slightly stretched out as an attempt to get the thought past Naruto's thick head.

The boy's cheeks grew flustered; panic etched onto his once triumphant face. "I didn't know that! Maybe Hinata or Kiba sh-"

"-You accepted. Take responsibility."

"But, I've never even played before!"

With a shrug, the Nara showed his obvious lack of pity for his guest. "Perhaps you should have thought about that before." Slowly, the Kitsune nodded. This was their only chance to gain knowledge on the NightCrawler, so there really was no choice of backing out. Besides, Naruto didn't want his rash actions to cause the trio to lose their only reliable source for information.

The next few minutes passed **painfully** in an attempt to teach the young Uzumaki the rules and game play of this Japanese game. Each piece was the same, ivory colour: the Uzumaki could easily process. Though, it had also added more confusion into the lesson-how could you tell which piece belonged to you if they all appeared to be the same? As well, the thought of placing a captured piece onto the board was another thing that was not easy for the blond to grasp. "If you use an enemy as your own pawn, wouldn't they betray and kill you or something?" That was the question that escaped Naruto's lips at that moment, and Shikamaru tried to reason with the boy on how the game was truly not real life.

At long last, as the Nara's patience had been stretched thin, he had agreed for the entire trio to work together; though Naruto was the one that had to make the final decision. Finally, the game was on.

* * *

To any who would have viewed this match, it would have appeared boring, and dull. Pointless even. But, for our dear Naruto, he couldn't help but fill the air with unnecessary tension and unease. One piece moved, and then another. The pattern continued; the pawns dancing across the board seeming to follow no distinct order.

Yawning, Kiba couldn't help but curl up on the floor. The game getting the best of him, sending his thoughts to a dream-like world. Akamaru curled up next to his master, head resting in the crook of the boy's neck. On the other hand, Hinata watched in silent awe as Shikamaru had managed to dodge any attempts the opposing force had to capture a piece; with much ease might I add. Quietly, she muttered a few suggestions to her boyfriend every here and there, all of which he disregarded without a second thought. This process continued even as pieces began to fall and become property of the opposing force. Even as the challengers knew that their chances of winning were close to nothing, their attempts continued-though in slight more desperation.

An inaudible sigh escaped the Uzumaki's lips, a slight hint of annoyance trailing out along with it. Absent-mindedly, the boy ran a hand through his spiked hair; something that may have been a sign hinting towards his loss of concentration. The boy's motivation was slowly dropping to below zero seeing as the game was dragging on much too long for his taste. "Kiba, get your ugly mug over here."

Growl forming in the back of the Inuzuka's throat, he slowly rose glaring daggers at the Uzumaki. Refusing to follow the directions given to him, Kiba simply sat and continued to glower. Out of exhaustion or hate; it was awfully difficult to tell at the moment. "Like you're one to talk, teme..." Stroking the dog's sleek fur, Kiba began to silently converse with Akamaru.

"That good for nothing little-" Without a clue of how to continue, Naruto followed his gut-moving his remaining silver general farther away from the king. Gently shaking his head, Shikamaru revealed that his opponent had in fact made a horrid decision. In turn, the Nara dropped down a captured lance-something that had sent Akamaru into a wild fit of yapping. Naruto spun around to view the scene, both confused and annoyed. "Shut that thing up! It's hard enough to think without it shouting!"

Ignoring the complaint, Kiba raised an eyebrow-not quite understanding his companion's sudden outburst. Some way or another, though, the Inuzuka had managed to calm the pup for long enough to understand the point he was trying to share. "N-ni fu..?" Whereas the word made no sense to him what-so-ever, it seemed to have sparked something within Shikamaru.

Akamaru wasted no time; he rushed to a standing position, leaping up into Naruto's lap as lack for a better view of the board. The blond didn't seem to mind much, though-seeing as he had a dislike to the owner and not overly much for the canine. As difficult as it was for him to, the dog attempted to gesture frantically towards the piece that had just been placed. In his own doggy language, he continued to yap about 'ni fu'. Finally, Hinata clued in, looking at the Nara with her violet eyes wide.

"What does that phrase have to do with this game?" Nodding triumphantly, Akamaru took his leave to curl up in a small corner of the room now that his point was finally shared. All three genin were now watching Shikamaru intently, waiting for an answer that may change their losing streak.

"It's an illegal move that every player tends make." With a sigh, the Nara pretty much admitted defeat as he explained the situation. He stifled a slight yawn, continuing in a few seconds time. "Find what I did, and I'll tell you more. Find it, and I lose." A smile crept onto Naruto's lips, his hopes soaring at the sudden luck they had gained. They just had to find what had happened...

Wasting no time, Hinata gestured towards the same piece that Akamaru had pointed out. "It would have to include something about this piece. Akamaru went crazy over it..." From a distance, you could hear the dog huff in slight annoyance-though not a soul took notice of his action. Analysing the situation, the Hyuuga took the problem into her own hands to solve. No offense to Naruto, but he most definitely wasn't the kind of person to think before acting. And Kiba...-not much was known about him anymore.

Seeing that he had dropped the piece, Hinata tapped into her memory, trying to discover how this time was different from all the others. She let her eyes fall closed; her thoughts over-taking senses at the moment. Where as she continued to ponder; her companions had given up. Naruto fell deeper into his seat, arms crossed in silent determination, where as Kiba had simply fallen to the floor once again. The Inuzuka attempted to receive the answer from his dog; but Akamaru had deemed that said way was 'unjust' and 'cheating'.

Her eyes fluttered open once again, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I...-I think I got it." That sure got everyone's attention. Now, all eyes were locked onto the female; fingers crossed for good luck. Child-ish action, yes, but they still prayed that it took effect none the less. The Hyuuga took a deep breath before being thrown into her own explanation, hoping that now more than ever she was right.

"It's because you dropped the piece into the same file as one of your other ones." To make sure that her point was shared correctly, Hinata kept to the technical terms for each part. Realising that Naruto was left in the dust, confused already, she turned to him. "It's the columns, Naru-chan." As the words clicked, the blond grinned, slowly beginning to process all that was said. The female turned back to Shikamaru, deciding to share her point in as few words as possible. "You avoided this every other time; so I'm pretty sure that this is the illegal move you were talking about."

The room grew silent, not even a trace of breathing was heard throughout. With a shrug, Shikamaru's voice sliced through it. "Job well done, Miss Hyuuga. Looks like I've lost this one." Immediately, Naruto took Hinata into his arms, his face beaming at the team's accomplishment. The blond was making his exit, showering praise upon the female, until her voice peaked up. "Uh, Naruto? I think you're forgetting something..."

It took the Uzumaki a while before he clued in on what he could possibly not remember. "Oh, right! NightCrawler!" Turning back to face Shikamaru, the blond immediately demanded for the information they were promised from the start.

Almost hesitantly, the Nara passed over a small notebook, along with a small scroll containing a map of Konohakagure. "This is all I have for you." Kiba snatched the articles from his hands, eyeing them with greed. "The book contains details on each victim's condition after death. And the map..." A small smile kissed his lips, turning away from the group, retreating farther into his home. "You'll see."

Courtly bowing, Kiba took his exit; no words exchanged. His face remained blank, thoughts seemingly left in the clouds. Silently, Naruto raced out of the room as well, chasing after his companion, wanting to keep hold of the reward himself. Boys will be boys, I guess...

The Hyuuga apologized on behalf of the actions of both males. "I'm sure that we will see you around, Shikamaru-san." Hinata still couldn't rid herself of her feeling of dread as she followed out after her companions, eventually catching up with them as all came to a stop. Hand raised, the Nara gave a silent good-bye; letting his arm fall to his side as no one longer paid much attention.

"To be bested by a canine...-how embarrassing." As the trio finally left earshot, a new voice echoed within the room. The newcomer kept to the shadows, the light only illuminating his fine, sharp eyes. So, the only way to truly reveal this person's identity was through voice recognition; something that the Nara had obviously come by. The shorter male's body tensed, his lips turned down into a scowl of disapproval. Whoever this person was, they must have belonged to the same side; good or bad? That fact could not be decided at the moment.

Without even bothering to make eye-contact with the dark figure, Shikamaru kept his gaze fixated to the open door-way. "I guess I underestimated them, just this once." An eerie silence shortly followed something that was immediately cut off with a low whistle.

"You know..." The discomfort was audible in the figure's voice, and he backed away in uncertainty. "**-**_**he's**_not going to be very happy with you."

"I _do_ know." It was a statement; one free of fear and tension.

"So you're not afraid to die? To be killed at his hand like everyone else?" Astonishment escaped the male's lips, his eyes wide with surprise. And even if he refused to admit it, the figure wasn't as shocked as he should have been-it was Nara Shikamaru after all.

Finally Shikamaru tore his gaze away from the exit, his eyes now trailing to the ceiling of the homely abode. "No." A hand was pressed to his heart, an unshed tear sparkling in his dark eyes. "At least that way I could be reunited with dear Choji..."

* * *

**Crazygal:** And here is chapter three. Er, four...-whatever you want to call it!  
**Kiba:** Took you long enough... Lazy-ass.  
**Crazygal:** It's not my fault! I had midterms, and a PAT and-  
**Naruto:** It's one hundred percent your fault.  
**Crazygal:** Alright, it is my fault! Happy?  
**Naruto/Kiba:** Yes.  
**Crazygal:** On other notes..-I'm sorry for my sad attempt at the Shogi game; I've never really played it myself... Though, I have to thank '/shoji'. It was awfully helpful on giving me an idea on how to complete this chapter!  
**Hinata:** I-I think that you should close this up now...  
**Crazygal:** You have a point Hinata; I have this horrible tendency to ramble an-  
**Naruto/Kiba/Hinata:** Bye!!!

_Disclaimer: I do not own any characters mentioned in this fan fiction. I wish I did, but it's never going to happen...-the closest I'm getting is a video game or two...  
On other notes; reviews are greatly appreciated! They are the one thing that get me to continue to write chapter after chapter for this story. So if you'd like to see it continue, please take a few minutes of your time to let me know what you think, how I can improve-whatever! Thanks for sticking with me!_


	5. Ch 4: Saw That Coming

The rage burning in the blonde's sharp, crystalline eyes was unmistakable. Racing, he tried to keep pace with his comrade; horribly failing in gaining any distance on the almost canine-like boy ahead of him. Why Kiba had turned and spontaneously wanted to get away from the group -only God knows.

Upon hearing the thump-thump of a steady jog behind him, the Uzumaki fell back remembering that they were indeed a trio -not a pair. His brillant blue eyes locked with his female companion's ash-grey ones, a smile of approval kissing his lips. And for a moment, he had forgotten about Kiba. Only for a moment.

"Did you say something to Kiba?" Naruto's dissatisfaction was impossible to hide; a scowl forming.

"No! Who do you think we are? PMS-ing middle-school girls?!" The words tumbled from his mouth without a single thought, lashing out, causing the young Hyuuga to wince. The boy immediately drew back, apologizing. Or at least, he attempted as much.

"Have some respect for the lady, Naruto." The Inuzuka had returned, his hand already taking possession of Hinata's; their fingers intertwined. Displeasure was clear on Naruto's face, and apology was resting on the lips of his girlfriend. Cursing beneath his breath, the blond broke Kiba's hold on her, ushering the two forward.

"We still have lots of work to do, believe it!" Lips curled up to a smile, Naruto took the lead as his former self returned. "We still have to find the NightCrawler!" His memory sparked, earning Kiba a dreadful glower. "Hand over what we got from Shikamaru!"

With a simple shrug, the Inuzuka did as he was told deciding for once to keep his mouth shut.

The articles brushed the Uzumaki's hand for a mere moment before being passed off to Hinata whom studied the objects with great interest.

"It says here," She began, leafing through the few pages, "the name of the victim and everything about them. As well, the condition of the body after death."

For a time, the three simply glared at the words; eyes absorbing the information, with the mind slowly understanding. It was difficult to decide exactly how the NightCrawler was choosing victims. He murdered each in a unique fashion, and the innocents had absolutely nothing in common. Except for the dreadful realization that one life had been claimed from every squad. Well, almost every squad.

For the Sand Siblings, it had been Temari. Choji and Shino had been two of the other genin whose lives had been taken. From his own team, Sakura was taken down. Even amongst the jounin a life had been taken. The only ones remaining safe as of now were the members of Team Gai.

"I knew it!" Naruto shot, a gleam in his eye. "Neji's the murderer!" Finally he processed what had just been said. Other than the fact that it was indeed loud for all to hear, he had called a Hyuuga unclean. Hinata's cousin. Ouch...-this wasn't going to end well for the knuckle-headed ninja.

A murderous glare sparked in the young female's eyes, and for a moment, it appeared to be a death sentence. "I believe that maybe we should take the rest of the day off." Without a reply, she turned. If the Uzumaki had been the slighest bit more observant, maybe he would have noticed the tears streaming down Hinata's face. Maybe he would know that he had sparked her rage, but she was more mourning for the death of her comrade. Too bad that wasn't anything like Naruto.

"Hinata-kun, wait!" A hand extended, he was stopped in his tracks.

"You're a horrible boyfriend." Kiba spat, somehow managing to make the term seem more poison than it should have been. "Let her be." In silence the two boys watched her part. In due time, they left themselves, no words exchanged. The case would simply have to resume the next day.

* * *

If night were an element that one could possess, it could easily be dubbed my own. Dark as my heart; silent as my footsteps; as merciful as I when it comes down to murder. It was late now, the sun had long passed set. My eyes were accustomed to such conditions as I strolled down the dimly lit Konoha streets. After being responsible for as many deaths as I, such a skill was expected much less needed.

Tonight's murder was unplanned. Such a sad thing if you ask me: so much for sticking to the plan. I guess I will have to give more time before I kill Hinata. Lucky girl. Though, the bastard I was to pay a visit to this evening would not have such chance.

The door creaked from my weight as it was sent flying ajar. Such an entrance was unlikely, but I had my reasons for using such a domestic way. In a chair by the hissing fire sat a dark-haired boy, his abnormally longer hair left down. His dark eyes were watching me, an almost content smile resting upon his lips. For a moment, I had thought that I had made a mistake -something that was soon proved wrong as I came accustomed to the unusual garb of the male.

"Shikamaru...-odd not to see you with a pineapple atop your head. Almost didn't recognize you there."

A ghost of a smile spread onto his mature features. "I was expecting you."

A sadistic grin played on my lips -I didn't even need a mirror to see how indimadating I must have seemed at the moment. "You're ready to die then? I might have to crack that warrior spirit of yours before tossing you to hell." In a heart-beat I was now placed next to my victim, pressing the cold metal of a kunai to his throat. A small cut formed; blood flowing freely from the wound.

"You can't hide yourself from the world forever. They'll find you soon enough."

Snarling, I cursed, dealing the final blow much sooner than intended.

* * *

_Author's Note:_  
And this would be the end of my fifth and possible final chapter. You see, I'm not as dedicated to this story as I used to be. (Look at how often I've been posting chapters. XP) I mean to say that I'm thinking of discontinuing this fanfiction. If you'd like this piece to continue, share your opinion, whatever, please share your view by reviewing!

_Disclaimer: All the characters in this piece belong to Masashi Kishimoto -lucky guy!_


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